


The Gift

by turnedherbrain



Category: Humans (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, First Love, Fluffy Ending, Humans Creativity Night, Imagined Scene, Light Angst, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 20:27:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14838620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turnedherbrain/pseuds/turnedherbrain
Summary: Imagined scenes for s3 ep4.Spoilers for s3 eps 1-3 : )





	The Gift

**Author's Note:**

> The day after the night before – Leotilda style ;D
> 
> This is kind of a sequel to the one-shot [Almost Human](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14747393), but they can be read separately.

**_Day-time_ **

Leo was huddled knees-knocking at the café table, thankful of the distracting chatter around him. He was trying not to be overwhelmed by the place and the brightness and the people and the noise and the… normal, daily, _human_ life.

He had just stashed the shopping bag under the seat when he saw Mattie walk in.

Mattie decided to pretend a casual stroll until she reached him.

‘Been waiting long?’ The slight sarcasm in her voice offset the mixture of elation and embarrassment she felt today. Because… because last night. And because of all the times she’d sat by him, willing him to wake: willing his eyes to open and his lips to move. To finally see her there, to say her name.

And now he was here. Now _they_ were here: in the same café, right back where they’d started. He didn’t remember this place. But she did. She remembered exactly what he’d said; the very reason why she’d liked him… _‘I was actually waiting for a giant lumberjack stripper, so…’_

‘Do you remember what you said to me, the first time we met?’ she said aloud; failing badly at making it an impromptu question. It would be far better than a memory if he said those words again - if he recalled an even-hazy first impression of her, too.

‘No. I don’t remember.’ Leo half-dreaded what his former self had said and done. He was made nearly new again. Scars healing, no longer afraid to say what he was. He wanted to start anew. Not to remember everything.

Mattie, seeing his discomfort, changed the subject suddenly. ‘What’s in that bag?’

‘Hmmm?’ He wasn’t practised at faking nonchalance.

‘The bag. Under your chair?’

‘Oh, that?’ Leo was terrible at subterfuge too; his giveaway expression betraying him. ‘It’s a book. For Sophie!’ he rushed to say, unconvincingly.

Whatever was in the bag was distinctly **not** book-shaped.

It was bought because of a sudden, seismic understanding. A realisation of what Mattie had done in visiting him: a mute, unseeing companion. Every. single. day.

It was bought because of what she meant to him – not just now, but in the misted-up remembrance of before.

…

**_Night-time_ **

Dinner done, they escaped to their secret world of only them. No-one else was allowed: there was nothing else outside their door. And they talked, and they did so much more than talk.

Cuddled-close, Leo reluctantly left the shared warmth of their bed to retrieve the shopping bag from its hiding place. He laid it before her like he was giving hoarded treasure, before sitting back with barely concealed trepidation.

‘It’s for you,’ he said simply, suddenly abashed, unsure of the usual human behaviour. Was it too soon – too sudden – too much?

He dared to glance at Mattie only once she was carefully opening the box. She was trying not to show her fingers were shaking with anticipation. Was what she felt too much – too sudden – too soon?

Her face lit up when she saw the gift; no more feelings hidden. Because this was the most perfect gift that anyone had given her in the last year – in more than that. Leo looked at her with expectant hope, and was absurdly relieved to see the delight in her expression – an assurance he had done the right thing; made the right choice.

Mattie gazed down at the gift once more – then raised her head, smiling with unconcealed gratitude. Seeing her smile gave him life; gifted him unparalleled joy.

‘Thank you,’ she said, leaning closer to kiss him gently. Lingeringly. Longingly. Wanting him back where he’d been before the gift-giving.

The opened box carefully placed aside by Mattie, they fell back into bed, sharing an embrace that softly softly sloped to sleep. In their secret, night-time universe, they were two stars, meeting mid-heavens. Shining more brightly together. The dark space around them was illuminated by their light.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for ‘Humans’ Creativity Night - theme: ‘Secret’ and gifted to lynds, ottermo, nachocheese26 and halfsynth: all amazing writers.
> 
> **Please feel free to guess what’s in the gift box and write your guess in the comments!**


End file.
